Pantry Basics

Cooking is a primary component of health, and it starts with having basic ingredients on hand at all times—make it easy for yourself! Having a well-stocked kitchen will encourage you to cook more and experiment with different flavors so you can discover what types of food you really enjoy and eat homemade food filled with love regularly. When you do this, you’ll start to notice profound changes in your body and mind.

I’m going to outline some kitchen staples for you. Don’t feel pressured to have everything on this list. Keep in mind that condiments and spices will change depending on your personal tastes; stock up on the ones you love and find replacements for the ones you don’t.

Nuts and seeds also have a long shelf life. Stock up on these so you can add healthy fat, fiber, and protein to any meal very quickly.

While you’ll typically buy produce based on what you’re making on a given day, there are a few staples that keep for two weeks or longer in the refrigerator or pantry, and are convenient to have on hand.

Grains, beans, and legumes are easy to keep in your pantry because they have a very long shelf life. If the conditions are good, these items will last in tightly sealed jars for years. For this reason, buying grains, beans, and legumes in bulk is a great idea, and it ensures you’ll always have some staples around to make a healthy meal when you’re feeling hungry and don’t have a lot of time.

These are the basics to have in your pantry at all times, which will help you create healthy, delicious meals when you don’t have much time. Having healthy basics and condiments readily available will encourage you to get into the kitchen.

Staples

• Vegetable stock
• Tomato sauce
• Canned coconut milk (look for BPA-free)
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Breadcrumbs (gluten-free or not)
• Nutritional yeast
• Sauerkraut
• Pickles
• Dulse flakes
• Nori sheets
• Organic coffee beans
• Raisins
• Coconut flakes

Healthy Fats

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Sesame oil
• Butter or ghee, if tolerated

Vinegars

• Apple cider vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Umeboshi vinegar
• Brown rice vinegar

Spices and Seasonings

• Sea salt
• Himalayan salt
• Herbamare
• Gomasio
• Black pepper
• White pepper
• Bay leaves
• Basil
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Red pepper flakes
• Cayenne pepper
• Chili powder
• Curry powder
• Turmeric
• Ginger powder
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Cinnamon
• Cacao powder
• Vanilla extract
• Tamari
• Hot sauce

Sweeteners

• Raw honey
• Maple syrup
• Coconut palm sugar
• Brown rice syrup
• Dates
• Stevia

Grains

• Kasha
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Rolled oats
• Short grain brown rice
• Whole wheat flour

Beans

• Black beans
• Chickpeas
• Pinto beans
• White beans

Nuts, Nut Butters, and Seeds

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Walnuts
• Pistachios
• Brazil nuts
• Pine nuts
• Almond butter
• Peanut butter
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Flax seeds
• Chia seeds
• Hemp seeds

Produce

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Lemons
• Onions